3. Animal feeding and water
Good agricultural practices
| Good agricultural practice (GAP) |
Examples of suggested measures to achieve GAP |
Objective/Control measure |
| 3.1 |
Ensure animal feed and water are of adequate quality | |
| 3.1.1 |
Ensure the nutritional needs of animals are met |
| 3.1.2 |
Ensure good quality water supplies are provided, regularly checked and maintained |
| 3.1.3 |
Use different equipment for handling chemicals and feed stuffs |
| 3.1.4 |
Ensure chemicals are used appropriately on pastures and forage crops |
| 3.1.5 |
Only use approved chemicals for treatment of animal feeds or components of animal feeds and observe withholding periods | |
– Keeping animals healthy with good quality feed
– Preserve water supplies and animal feed materials from chemical contamination
– Avoid chemical contamination due to farming practices
|
| 3.2 |
Control storage conditions of feed | |
| 3.2.1 |
Separate feeds intended for different species |
| 3.2.2 |
Ensure appropriate storage conditions to avoid feed contamination |
| 3.2.3 |
Reject mouldy feed | |
– No microbiological or toxin contamination or unintended use of prohibited feed ingredients or veterinary preparations
– Keeping animals healthy with good quality feed |
| 3.3 |
Ensure the traceability of feedstuffs bought off the farm | |
| 3.3.1 |
All suppliers of animal feeds should have an approved quality assurance programme in place |
| 3.3.2 |
Maintain records of all feed or feed ingredients received on the farm (specified bills or delivery notes on order) | |
– Quality assurance programme of feed supplier |
Fact sheet: Animal feeding and water
An animal’s health and productivity, along with the quality and safety of her milk, depend on the quality and management of the feed and water. Milk quality can also be affected adversely by the quality of water used to clean milking equipment and the milk house. If the water is contaminated, the contaminants may cause milk safety and quality to suffer.
This Fact Sheet describes Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for managing the safety of feed and water supply for dairy cattle. The suggested GAPs are set out under the following headings:
- Ensure animal feed and water are of adequate quality.
- Control storage conditions of feed
- Ensure the traceability of feedstuffs bought off farm
3.1 Ensure animal feed and water are of adequate quality
3.1.1 Ensure the nutritional needs of animals are met
Animals should be fed sufficient feed and water daily, according to their physiological needs. The quality and quantity of the feed, including appropriate fibre, should reflect the animal’s age, body weight, stage of lactation, production level, growth, pregnancy, activity and climate.
3.1.2. Ensure good quality water supplies are provided, regularly checked and maintained
Fence stock water supplies to protect them from unintentional contamination. Water supplies should be clear and free of excrement.
Many contaminants can enter water supplies and threaten the health or safety of people, livestock and the milking equipment rinsed with the contaminated water. The most common contaminants include pathogenic microorganisms (for example Escherichia coli bacteria) as well as toxic chemicals such as pesticides, petroleum and solvents, and nitrates.
If there are any concerns about the suitability of water for use as stock water, contact the relevant authorities and have your water tested.
3.1.3 Use different equipment for handling chemicals and feed stuffs
Never use equipment or facilities meant for dairy use to mix agricultural chemicals and/or veterinary chemicals – residues can remain on equipment or allow cross-contamination through spills, air dispersal, back-siphoning effects, etc.
3.1.4 Ensure chemicals are used appropriately on pastures and forage crops
Maintain stringent paddock records of all chemical applications to crops and pastures, and ensure withholding periods are closely observed. Always follow the label for application rates and withholding times. Note and follow ‘Days Before Grazing’ intervals before allowing animals access to a treated field for grazing. Follow ‘Pre-harvesting Intervals’ or ‘Days To Harvest’ for forage fields.
Check pasture for signs of pesticide drift. Look for herbicide injury symptoms on forage plants. If symptoms are present, investigate further before allowing animals to graze.
Be aware of the potential for spray drift when applying agricultural chemicals to pastures/crops. This applies to neighbouring farms also. Take adequate precautions when allowing stock to drink the water after spray applications.
Find out about the past and present use of chemicals on your farm and neighbouring properties as spray drift may be a potential source of residues. When buying pasture/land, always obtain information on the paddock’s previous history of agricultural chemical use and/or a soil/plant test, if required.
3.1.5 Only use approved chemicals for treatment of animal feeds or components of animal feeds and observe withholding periods
Only chemicals approved for use in dairy operations should be used and managed in a manner that avoids their accidental introduction into the feed and water and, as a result, into milk.
Use chemicals in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations. Check labels of all chemicals that are to be used around, on or in feeds or pastures for compatibility with food-producing animals, withdrawal requirements for milk, and proper application rates and concentrations of products.
Withholding periods may also apply to pastures, forage crops and stored grains if they have been treated with an agricultural chemical. In this case, the withholding period is the minimum period of time that must elapse between the treatment of the pasture, crop or grain and when it can be grazed or harvested for feeding to stock, whichever is applicable. Different withholding periods may apply if the crop is also intended for human consumption.
3.2 Control storage conditions of feed
3.2.1 Separate feeds intended for different species
No animal material should be included in dairy cattle feed rations. National regulations need to be observed.
3.2.2 Ensure appropriate storage conditions to avoid feed contamination
Ensure animals are not able to come into contact with contaminants in areas where these products are stored and mixed. These areas should be well ventilated as toxic fumes may be given off. Ensure that feed is protected from contaminants. Store and handle pesticides, treated seeds, medicated feed and fertilizers properly. Store herbicides separately from other agricultural chemicals, fertilizers and seeds.
Provide an appropriate vermin control programme for stored feed.
Hay and dry feeds should be protected from a moist environment. Silage and other fermented crops should be kept under hermetically sealed conditions.
3.2.3 Reject mouldy feed
Avoid feeding any mouldy stockfeed to milking cows (take particular care with brewers grain, silage, hay, sugar beet pulp and grain) as these can contain poisonous fungal toxins that can be transferred to milk.
3.3 Ensure the traceability of feedstuffs bought off the farm
3.3.1 All suppliers of animal feeds should have an approved quality assurance programme in place
If you buy in feed, ensure the feed supplier has an assurance programme in place, can monitor appropriate residues and diseases and can trace the ingredients used back to their source. Ask for relevant Vendor Declarations.
3.3.2 Maintain records of all feed or feed ingredients received on the farm (specified bills or delivery notes on order)
Have an appropriate system in place to record and trace all feed or feed ingredients received onto your farm. Make sure you can identify and trace all treatments applied to feeds on-farm (including crop and grain treatments) |